This chicken bacon ranch pasta is a perfect choice for a simple weeknight dinner, or dinner party. It is made with a creamy, ranch flavored sauce and topped with bacon and chicken. Whether you are single, or feeding a family, this dish is sure to become one of your favorites to prepare.
What is chicken ranch pasta
This dish is made with penne pasta, boneless skinless chicken breasts, bacon and ranch flavored sauce. One of the great things about this dish is the bacon. I say that because of the bacon fat that is used. Once you cook the bacon, you will use the fat to make a roux for your sauce.
Another thing that separates this dish from other traditional pasta dishes is the homemade ranch flavored sauce. Normally, when I make anything that is ranch flavored, I will always use a packaged ranch seasoning. However, after a few test runs, I found a way to develop my own ranch seasoning.
Ranch seasoning is typically made with powdered milk, chives, parsley, onion and garlic. However, since this sauce is made with cream, I decided to omit the powdered milk.
If you decide to make this recipe, you can use a packaged ranch flavor, but I highly recommend making your own, as using a packaged seasoning will make your sauce too heavy, due to the powdered milk.
Making the cream sauce is very similar to making a traditional Alfredo sauce. I made a roux using the bacon fat and flour, then mixed in the heavy cream, cream cheese, chicken broth, garlic, lemon juice and ranch seasoning. Once I bring all of that to a simmer, I add mozzarella cheese pearls to help bring everything together. Top it off with the cooked chicken and bacon, and that’s all!
Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta
Ingredients
- .75 lb penne pasta
- 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
- 5 strips of bacon
- 3 garlic cloves minced or diced
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp onion powder
- 1 tbsp dried parsley
- 1 tbsp dried chives
- 1/4 cup bacon fat from cooked bacon
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 cup chicken broth
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 4 oz mozzarella cheese pearls
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- seasoning of choice for chicken I use salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika
- fresh parsley for garnish optional
Instructions
- Using meat mallet or skillet, pound chicken to flattened and tenderize it. Season chicken on both sides with salt, pepper, garlic powder and paprika. Set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix tablespoon of garlic powder, onion powder, dried chives and dried parsley. Set aside.
- Cook pasta according to instructions on package.
- Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add bacon and cook until done. Drain on paper towels. Reserve 1/4 cup of bacon fat, and leave the rest in the skillet. If not using a nonstick skillet, you may need to add a little oil if not enough bacon fat was left. Add chicken to skillet, and cook on both sides until an internal temperature of 165 is reached, approximately 5 minutes on each side.
- While chicken is cooking heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add bacon fat, then mix in flour. Stir or whisk until a creamy roux is formed.
- Add heavy cream and cream cheese. Bring to a simmer, and stir until cream cheese starts to melt. Mix in chicken broth, garlic, seasoning mixture and lemon juice. Simmer for 5 – 7 minutes, stirring or whisking occasionally. Taste sauce and add salt if needed. Turn heat down to low.
- Add mozzarella cheese pearls, and stir until cheese melts. Toss cooked pasta in sauce, then top with chicken and bacon. Garnish with optional parsley, and serve warm.
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